This is your favorite reporter Rick Brown and I’m coming live from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. I’m your man for today’s Christmas Eve tilt between the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Carolina Panthers.

The Bucs enter the game 4-10 and are on an eight-game losing streak. The Panthers are 5-9 and have won three of the last four games.

The Bucs are 5-6 overall on the road against Carolina; The Panthers lead series 13-9 overall.

Carolina won the first meeting in Tampa, 38-19 and are trying to sweep Tampa Bay for the first time since 2009.

Pre-game notes

Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber will tie former Buc Derrick Brooks for the most games played in franchise history (224).

Steve smith is five catches from breaking team mark of 696 career catches by Muhsin Muhammad

Smith is third in the NFL in receiving yards 1,299 behind Wes Welker and Megatron

Smith leads the NFL with 27 catches of 20 yards or more

Coin Toss

Panthers win toss and will receive.

10:12 First Quarter: Cats Draw First Blood: Carolina moves down the field with ease, using just nine plays to go 80 yards to score the first touchdown. The TD came on an 8-yard run by DeAngelo Williams. Panthers rushed for 51 yards on the drive. Also on the drive, quarterback Cam Newton broke Manning’s rookie record for passing yards.

9:59 First: Fumble exchange, Panthers’ Ball: On the Bucs’ first offensive play, it appeared to be a bad exchange between Josh Freeman and LeGarrette Blount. Carolina recovers inside Bucs’ 10-yard line.

8:27 First: Panthers Up Lead: Tampa Bay’s defense stands tall but Carolina is able to get a 21-yard field goal and now lead 10-0.

End of First: Panthers lead 10-0: But Tampa Bay has a fourth-and-inches from Carolina’s 6-yard line when play resumes. It appears the club is going for it.

They get it. First and goal.

Pass to Rejus Benn called incomplete. Appeared he got both feet down. Coach Raheem Morris is challenging play.

And it’s a TD. Officially a 4-yard TD for Benn. Bucs still trail 10-7.

It was an 80-yard drive that took 15 plays and a whopping 9:20 off the clock.

13:06 Second: Big Play Has Panthers Crowd Back in It: If momentum had changed to the Bucs, the Panthers snatched it back quickly. On second and 9 from the 9, Newton finds Brandon LaFell in the secondary and it turns into a 91-yard touchdown. The longest in Carolina history. Panthers now up 17-7.

5:33 Second: Bucs Answer: Tampa Bay goes on a 61-yard drive that takes 11 plays and 7:33 off the clock. It stalls but team gets a 43-yard field goal by Connor Barth. Bucs trail 17-10.

0:25 Second: Another 3 for Carolina: Panthers drive 79 yards on 10 plays and appeared to be on the verge of breaking the game open when the Bucs’ defense held and forced a field goal. Panthers lead 20-10.

11:55 Third: Panthers Make Em Pay: All it takes is three plays for Williams to take an option pitch 22 yards for a touchdown. It’s now 27-10 and looking bad for the Bucs.

10:31 Third: Three and out: Bucs go three and out and have to punt for the first time today. It is a bad time to punt down 17 and having not stopped the Panthers all day.

9:18 Third: Bucs Get a Stop Finally: The Bucs defense stands tall. Michael Bennett gets a third-down sack and the Panthers also punt for the first time of the game. Looks like some coordinators were working at halftime maybe.

7:01 Third: Bucs Drive, Fumble: Try to stay with me on this one. Freeman throws it backward to Micheal Spurlock who stops and looks downfield before throwing it back to Freeman. Freeman, still behind the line of scrimmage, then connects with Kellen Winslow who runs, then tries to leap over a defender. He gets popped and the ball comes out. There were two penalties on the play, both on Tampa Bay so it’s Carolina’s ball.

3:24 Third: It’s Getting Ugly: Cam Newton tosses another touchdown, this one to Jonathan Stewart on 4-and-1 from the Tampa Bay 11. With the point after it is now 34-10.

1:13 Third: Empty: Bucs come up empty on a fourth-down play and turn the ball back over to Carolina.

End of the Third: On the kickoff, Sammie Stroughter fumbled and the Panthers recovered on the Bucs’ 8-yard line. Carrolina scored 21 points in the third quarter to open this game up.

14:53 Fourth: Another TD Pass for Cam: This one to Jeremy Shockey. After the extra point, it is 48-10. Wow!